


Bond Dynamics

by WriterRose



Series: Shapeshifter AU [2]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Animal Transformation, Bonding, Canon Compliant, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Pack Bonding, Scent Marking, Sort Of, all relationships can be pre-romantic at this point, in terms of basketball, these are tags oh damn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-12 10:13:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28633800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WriterRose/pseuds/WriterRose
Summary: Kagami relearns the ups and downs of being in a bond as Seirin prepares to enter the Winter Cup. However, both he and his new partner have old bondmates that are proving to make things difficult.[Animal shapeshifter AU, takes place during Season 2. Part 1 should probably, most definitely be read first.]
Relationships: Aomine Daiki & Kuroko Tetsuya, Generation of Miracles & Kuroko Tetsuya, Generation of Miracles/Kuroko Tetsuya (implied), Kagami Taiga & Kuroko Tetsuya, Kagami Taiga/Kuroko Tetsuya, Kuroko Tetsuya & Momoi Satsuki
Series: Shapeshifter AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2092041
Comments: 35
Kudos: 146





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to split up this fic into 2 parts (pre-winter cup + the rest of season 2) because just this first half of season 2 is already almost as long as the first fic. The rating for this fic has also been bumped up to teen for some mild swear words.
> 
> [“Bondmate” can be used in both a platonic and romantic way. However it’s used in a platonic way throughout this story, as no one is in a romantic relationship as of yet.]

Overall, not much had changed between Kagami and Kuroko after they had formed a bond together. But at the same time, a lot had changed. 

They had already spent a lot of time together before he and Kuroko had become official bonded partners - since they were almost always in the same spaces whenever they weren’t at their own homes; from school, to practice, to the walk home. Summer vacation didn’t really change how much time they spent together. In fact, it increased it, since the Coach had them training non-stop for the Winter Cup preliminaries. 

All these activities and the way they engaged in them were the same, just that the sense of companionship was new. Or rather, more noticeable. Kagami felt himself relaxing more than usual, feeling less on edge whenever he was around his new bondmate. The feeling of loneliness that had lingered ever since moving to Japan had receded as well. 

Kagami had forgotten how nice it was having a bondmate in his life. How much easier it made everything seem. 

Of course, Kagami knew that this was because of some kinda chemical reaction going on inside him, because of the bond - his wild tiger pleased whenever his partner was near and touchy and ansty whenever they were apart. Honestly, Kagami had also forgotten how needy a bond could make you feel. Though he can’t say he remembers ever feeling this way in the first place, in his old bond. He wondered if this new form of separation anxiety was just normal or some sort of lasting trauma caused by his broken bond with Tatsuya and current distance from Alex.

Though he digresses. The point is, nothing between him and Kuroko had really changed much with their new bond. 

But Kagami couldn’t help but notice his own growing possessiveness whenever he caught a whiff of the Miracles’ _still_ lingering scents on Kuroko, that no amount of imprinting on his part seemed able to get rid of. Or the warm, pleased feeling that settled in his chest whenever Kuroko wouldn’t shy away (or retaliate with a physical blow) whenever Kagami couldn’t resist the urge to grab his partner in some way, from palming his head to laying his limbs across the other after practice left them unable to rise from the gym floor for a good 15 minutes. There was something about the physical contact that soothed Kagami.

So by all accounts, Kuroko and Kagami were closer than ever. Yet still, there was one thing causing a palpable distance between them.

Besides from that one night at the training camp, in the inn lobby, Kuroko never shifted back into his animal form again. Not in front of the team and not even in front of Kagami himself. It kinda pissed him off. 

_(His tiger was getting restless. He paced impatiently back and forth. He wanted to see his partner.)_

For the sake of not seeming clingy however, Kagami instead suppressed those wild instincts, those irrational feelings, as best he could. Kuroko had explained it to him perfectly clearly that night on the beach; they were partners. He trusted Kagami.

So why didn’t it feel that way?

As Kagami had suspected, Kuroko had been holding himself back all this time, suppressing his instincts and exhausting himself whenever he forced his body not to shift, which only left Kagami more in awe of him as well as feeling incredibly annoyed and guilty. 

It was draining for Kuroko, having to repress his instincts. He was hurting himself needlessly. The fact that he wasn’t comfortable enough to shift in front of anyone, Kagami especially, was a personal blunder on the redhead’s part. He wasn’t making his partner feel as safe as Kuroko made him feel.

Kagami himself only realized _how_ taxing it was on Kuroko to remain a human all the time because of their bond. Awareness of your partner’s emotions were heightened in a relationship like this. It wasn’t really like a psychic link or anything like that, just a feeling of something being wrong. Animal instincts were helpful like that.

“Games are one thing,” Kagami began, laid out on the gym floor next to Kuroko, their teammates in a similar state of exhaustion, scattered around them as the Coach left them to a break. “But you really don’t have to do this sort of thing to yourself at practice.”

Kuroko was flat on his back, arms sprawled out at his sides. He only hummed at Kagami’s comment, apparently not needing any clarification as to what he was talking about.

Kagami sat up, a bit ticked off at the other’s dismissive tone. “I’m serious here.” he said a bit louder, earning the attention of their teammates.

Kuroko turned his head to face the redhead and provided him with a blank, yet still strangely chiding look. “Kagami-kun is making a scene.”

Kagami blushed in embarrassment but didn’t let up. “Sure, sorry. But still.”

Tsuchida, ever conscious of conflict, attempted to diffuse the situation. “Now, now. Kuroko-kun doesn’t have to shift if he doesn’t want to.” he placated. Which was all well and fine for him to say, but he was currently unconsciously stroking Koganei’s back as the tabby laid out across the other’s legs - and they weren’t even _bondmates._ Tsuchida wasn’t even a shifter. 

Koganei was definitely never very reserved with shifting in the first place, so it wasn’t uncommon to see him coaxing a scratching session or something out of any given teammate. Though these days it only served to make Kagami hyper aware of Kuroko’s lack of willingness to shift in front of others.

(Kagami realized he was being a bit petty, but the tiger was quickly growing too frustrated to care). 

“But that’s the thing,” Kagami groused, staring down his partner. “he _does_ want to shift.” he revealed, being able to feel it now, thanks to their bond. 

_A trilling thrum up his spine whenever they were around each other, that would disappear almost as soon as it appeared. Smothered before it could weigh too heavy. A restless, unnerving feeling. A longing for contact._

Kuroko wanted to shift. To let go. But he just never did.

Kagami’s comment seemed to make the easy, dismissive mood of the team shift; turn serious. All eyes then fell to Kuroko.

“Is this true, Kuroko-kun?” Kiyoshi asked, tone politely coaxing.

He didn’t, but Kagami could tell that Kuroko wanted to squirm due to all the attention suddenly on him. Bonded-feelings that passed along to Kagami through Kuroko were hard to catch at first, and rare in their appearances. Kuroko was a very emotionally repressed kind of person, Kagami was swiftly realizing. 

Though he was getting better at reading him. Kuroko’s discomfort felt like a mildly irritating thrum going up Kagami’s spine, as he noted earlier. It made Kagami grimace but Kuroko’s expression didn’t even waver. 

Once again, the redhead was impressed by Kuroko’s resolve, but mostly just annoyed. 

Though he thinks he now knows why Kuroko chooses not to shift in front of others, and it only made Kagami even more frustrated. 

When you’re in your animal form, it’s hard to hide your emotions, what with all the clues you’re constantly dealing out with body language, as well as the overall lack of control over your emotions that came with letting instincts take over. It made sense for someone like Kuroko to choose not to shift. Someone’s whose entire existence (and sense of self worth, he was quickly theorizing) seemed to rely on going unnoticed. 

Didn’t mean Kagami had to like it though.

He inwardly cursed those damn Miracles for somehow making the light haired teen think that he didn’t have to have emotions. Didn’t have to share them with others. 

(Kagami didn’t really have any proof that it was their fault, but he just _knew_ it had to be. Kuroko said he had changed in middle school, after all. Became more reserved).

“It would be derailing to the practice and a burden to the team if I shifted every time I felt tired.” Kuroko shared flatly, looking up to the ceiling. “If I did, I would've been crushed by the ball a long time ago. Or other players, for that matter.”

The silence that initially followed that statement told of the grim acceptance that came with the abject way in which Kuroko delivered that sad, probably very true prediction. 

“But it’s not being a burden.” Kagami followed, not dissuaded by Kuroko’s air of calm like their teammates. It also probably helped that he didn’t have any kind of filter, especially when it came to his new bondmate. “It’s called _trust.”_ he finished with emphasis on that last word, knowing the effect it would have.

Kuroko lolled his head in Kagami’s direction again, this time actually looking quite irritated. He sighed through his nose, so soft that no one besides Kagami or the other shifters probably picked up on it. “That was a cheap shot.” he deadpanned before promptly shifting forms. 

The little white weasel - which Kagami would _never_ call him to his face, if he had any sense of self preservation whatsoever - then rolled away from Kagami, his long, sleek back now facing him. In his animal form, the irritation rolled off of Kuroko in waves. 

Just as Kagami expected, the other’s emotions were more noticeable in this form too, along with his scent. Once again, Kagami wondered how the increased scent worked, but he thinks he understood the emotion part well enough. Along with the visible cues, their bond heighted Kagami’s own ability to read his partner.

...Which of course had to mean that the same must’ve been true for the Miracles’ themselves. 

They and Kuroko were former bondmates - technically _still_ bondmates; shifting in their presence would mean they could read Kuroko, better than anyone. Probably even Kagami himself. 

“Ah, you made him mad.” Izuki noted, an amused smile on his face (as the cute little thing that was Kuroko’s animal form sulking no doubt made for an amusing sight).

“Some bondmate.” Hyuuga scoffed. Kagami scowled.

“Sorry, sorry.” Kagami apologized halfheartedly to his partner, his tiger form finally satisfied once Kagami shifted and nudged at Kuroko with his nose. He was able to roll him over onto his back easily enough, but Kuroko was expectedly none too pleased with being manhandled and swatted at Kagami’s nose (thankfully keeping his claws carefully out of the way, so he wasn’t actually that mad). Kagami was unable to contain an amused growl as he playfully nipped back at the other.

This was nice. He hadn’t roughhoused with a fellow shifter since he was a kid. Not since Tatsuya.

The thought of his own former bondmate was a bit of a dampener to his currently high spirits, but Kuroko stopping in his attacks and simply draping himself over Kagami’s snout brought them back up again. It seemed that Kagami was just as easy for Kuroko to read (not that the light haired teen ever had a problem with that in the first place).

Kagami let out a single, grateful purr and laid down, settling himself to actually rest, since being tired was the whole reason they brought up shifting in the first place.

“I’ve been thinking,” Fukuda started, as Koganei made his way over to the freshmen, startling Furihata (who had been stuck as a chihuahua for the last 10 minutes after overworking himself). Fukuda watched in amusement as the small dog jerked and backed away from the playful cat. He then plucked Furihata up and put him in his lap (an action Furi would’ve protested no doubt, under different circumstances). He scratched at Furihata’s back and the dog then swiftly melted into the touch, much to Fukuda’s amusement. 

He continued, “since a bond and scenting or whatever helps improve Kuroko’s misdirection, wouldn’t it be good if the other shifters bonded with him too?”

“Bonds aren’t something that simple. Even I know that you don’t go around bonding with just anybody.” Hyuuga was surprisingly the one to point out.

“It’s a personal connection.” Kiyoshi explained. “I’ve never done it myself, but it’s a big commitment. My grandmother says it’s like letting somebody see into a part of your soul that even you didn’t know existed.”

“That’s not a bad way of putting it. It’s built on trust.” Izuki added on. “And Hyuuga’s right. You can’t do it with just anybody. Even if you _want_ to make a bond with somebody, your animal forms may fight against it and prevent it from happening. It’s finicky like that. Honestly, I’m impressed that those two were able to even do it.” he indicated towards Kagami and Kuroko. “Not to mention that Kuroko apparently did it with the Miracles before. It’s...well...”

“What is it?” Kawahara questioned for the group, left curious over Izuki’s trailing thought.

He seemed to be deep in it too, watching the two shifted freshmen, Kuroko specifically, quite carefully, eyes as sharp as they were on the court. “Well, I was just thinking that Kuroko’s rather impressive, isn’t he? Being able to bond with so many people.”

“Wouldn’t that mean he’s just like...loose or something?” Fukuda innocently asked.

Both Kawahara and Furihata stared at their classmate, the former’s canine mouth agape. Tsuchida blushed furiously with an uncomfortable smile on his face. Mitobe shook his head, looking very disproving. Kagami growled threateningly. Kuroko himself merely made a considering noise.

“Eh? Kuroko’s soul is loose?” Kiyoshi questioned, sounding 100 percent serious.

That seemed to finally break Hyuuga out of his surprised stupor. He promptly pelted a ball at Fukuda, sending Furihata scrambling away. “Moron, that’s not what it means!” he shouted, before he turned and punched Kiyoshi squarely in the arm. “And that’s not what _he_ meant either!”

Kiyoshi probably looked even more confused now, as he rubbed his smarting arm. “Really? What did he mean?”

Izuki seemed unable to hide his laughter at this point. Koganei pretty much in the same boat as he rolled around on the floor, having shifted back into a human just so he could burst out laughing too.

As chaos descended the gym and the Coach walked back in on anarchy, Kagami merely stayed put, not wishing to dislodge his partner, who seemed uninspired to move from Kagami’s snout. Not that Kagami had any complaints about it. Quite the opposite, actually.

* * *

It was through meeting Murasakibara that Kagami was reminded of Kuroko’s reasoning for not shifting so often, specifically in front of the other Miracles. Though the reminder was a bit overshadowed by the unexpected reappearance of Tatsuya and all the ugly emotions that came back to Kagami with him.

On a whim, a handful of Seirin members teamed up for a tournament that was supposed to be fun, supposed to allow them to let off some steam. It was made up of shifter and non-shifter friendly challenges and games, that allowed shifters to use their animal forms to play, to safely team-up with their human team members. 

The Coach only approved because she thought it’d be a good test of Kagami’s strength and his training in control. It was supposed to be a freshmen-only outing, but a sudden cold caught by Kawahara meant that Kiyoshi came in his place (which was probably for the best, considering the second year was a shifter and Kawahara was not. It evened their odds a bit more).

Kagami hadn’t banked on Tatsuya being there. In Japan in general, let alone at this specific tournament.

The older teen was just as Kagami remembered him. Calm, stoic, with a deceptively easy air about him. Made up of perfect lines that were sharp and would cut deep if one got too close. Hidden fangs that he was selective in sharing, calculative with in their use. Though as was always the case for Kagami when it came to Tatsuya, his bark was far worse than his bite.

They talked briefly. Short, clipped sentences in English, every single word no doubt carefully picked out by Tatsuya, solely to gage the effect they’d have on Kagami, solely to gain a favorable reaction. 

Before Kagami really registered it, Tatsuya was challenging him to have their final battle here, on this random day, on this random court. A battle that would determine who was the better amongst the two of them, the stronger. A battle that would end in Kagami’s loss, no matter the actual outcome. The storm of dread that had been building in Kagami over all these years had finally surged, was now raging, threatening to overwhelm him. 

Until it wasn’t. 

As if blown away by a gentle breeze, the storm had calmed. His deep-rooted fear of being abandoned, of being made to destroy something precious to him, had fled.

Kuroko’s palm was resting on Kagami’s bicep.

“I’m not sure of your exact history together,” the light haired teen had started softly, having drawn Kagami away from Tatsuya and over to their fellow teammates without the redhead really even noticing. “but we’re here to play. To help.” Kuroko concluded, gesturing over to Kiyoshi, Furihata, and Fukuda, who all looked far more confused than Kuroko did, but no less supportive and encouraging.

That’s when Kagami realized that his feelings about the past and his history with Tatsuya didn’t matter anymore. Because Kagami had new important people in his life now. A new bondmate.

Resolved to bring this drawnout _\- stupid, unecessary -_ fued to a close here and now, Kagami shifted, already bracing himself for what was going to follow. 

It wasn’t a basketball match, like both of them really wanted, but that didn’t seem to matter to Tatsuya at the moment either.

The dark haired teen had smiled, apparently pleased, before shifting himself; a large grey wolf now standing in his place. It drew the rest of the random players who he had teamed up with to shift as well. There were three other shifters on the five man team; of course, they were all some sort of breed of dog. 

Tatsuya was quite an alluring presence, an impressive alpha all around. He drew others to him, especially fellow canines. Seeing the wolf again after all this time with the band of dog shifters _\- who he knew deep down didn’t mean him any harm, this was just a game after all -_ still caused the hairs on Kagami’s back to stand on end and for something ugly, something _weak_ in him to begin lamenting; because Tatsuya _knew_ how he felt about dogs, better than anyone, and here he was, ready to best Kagami with help from a random pack of them.

Then Kuroko’s hand was touching Kagami again, gently smoothing down the fur on his back that was standing on end. The tiger felt it then, a dull gnawing in the pit of his stomach; Kuroko’s concern. Concern for him.

Kiyoshi politely nudging past the curious onlookers was hard to miss, the large bear oozing calm yet still managing to cause the resolve of some of the shifters over on Tatsuya’s side to visibly putter out; no doubt wondering what they had gotten themselves into.

Even Furihata had shifted, the little dog not concerning Kagami but making him feel supported as he stood at his other side (albeit on shaky legs).

Some sort of warm, pleasant feeling then overtook all of Kagami’s feelings of anxiety.

This was (some of) his new pack, in a way. Tatsuya may naturally draw other shifters to him, may be a bit more charismatic and alluring to others than Kagami himself was, but _Kagami_ had found his new friends. Not the other way around. And their relationship wasn’t some surface level one formed by power dynamics. It was formed by trust.

The confused tournament referee then took back control of the situation after that, directing the teams to huddle up and prepare for the first challenge; some sort of tag-team obstacle course.

“Well,” Fukuda coughed. “we’re outnumbered in terms of shifters.” he stated, eyeing Kuroko as he said it - no doubt wondering why the other hadn’t shifted, seemed like he had no plans to, in fact

“That’s true, but we have more diversity.” Kuroko calmly pointed out. “And we’re all familiar with each other, while they don’t know Himuro-san that well. We have an edge.” he reasoned, seeming unconcerned.

“Well, when you put it like that…” Fukuda trailed, actually sounding swayed. 

Kuroko then went on to begin formulating a strategy, suggesting who should take part in each event. All his strategies seemed kinda genius, actually.

Once again, Kagami was kinda blown away by his partner. Kuroko looked calm, collected, but through their bond Kagami could tell that there was some strange emotion stirring in his partner whenever he regarded Tatsuya; something calculative. Something cold.

Kuroko, it seemed, also had a protective streak. It was sweet. Also a little funny - imagining Kuroko fighting for his honor or something - but mostly sweet. Kagami’s sense of pride over his partner only grew at that realization. His fondness for him.

It was decided that Kagami would take part in the first part of the match. They had to first fetch their baton before they could begin the race, which was dangling from the limb of a tall tree. Kagami had the advantage of both speed and climbing ability. Despite lacking the latter, Tatsuya was the one who he’d be racing against, as Kagami expected he would be.

As soon as the referee called start, both the tiger and the wolf had taken off, bounding the 50 yards in seconds flat, cheered on by their teammates and the crowd alike. 

For what little Tatsuya lacked in size compared to Kagami, he made up for in speed and agility, weaving through the obstacles in their path easily. They were neck and neck but there was no way Kagami was going to lose an air battle. No way Tatsuya could jump high enough as easily as Kagami could.

Finally near enough, Kagami pounced, letting out a roar as he opened his mouth to chomp down on the metal baton and deliver it to his awaiting teammates.

Until suddenly Kagami was chomping on air as both batons were easily freed of their rope tethers and dropping into the gaping maw of a massive, white bear.

Confused silence fell over the scene. Kagami himself fell to the ground.

The bear gnawed on the batons for a moment, as if considering them, before seeming to have had it’s fill and spitting them out onto the ground.

Then Tatsuya had shifted back to a human. “Atsushi.” he said, looking surprised-but-not at the same time. “There you are.”

Kagami gave a frustrated growl, picking himself up from off the ground as he shifted back as well. “What the hell is going on? Who the hell are you?”

The bear merely stared blankly at Kagami from where it sat under the tree.

“Murasakibara-kun?” Kuroko then said, suddenly closeby, Kagami having been so focused on this weird new face that he missed his approach entirely. Kuroko looked genuinely surprised.

The bear then looked to Kuroko, as if noticing him for the first time too. It then drew itself up onto its hindlegs, head actually higher than the branch their batons had been hanging from - it didn’t even have to _jump_ to grab the batons, it literally just _grabbed_ them. It looked down its nose at Kuroko, absolutely towering over him, a massive paw then rapidly descending down onto Kuroko.

Kagami had shifted back into his tiger form before he knew it, about to put himself between his partner and the mysterious giant bear. Before suddenly, the bear was shifting, a not-ten-foot-tall figure now in its place, but still towering over everyone else on the court all the same. Seriously, he had to be even taller than Kiyoshi.

“Kuro-chin.” the giant teenager - Murasakibara - seemed to sing-song as he patted the other on the head with his hand, instead of a clawed paw. “Long time no see.” he lazily drolled.

And that was Kagami’s introduction to yet another one of Kuroko’s former bondmates. The guy had a screw loose, according to Kuroko but, as a polar bear, was the strongest and largest out of all the Miracles and, as a human, a formidable opponent on the court. Kuroko attested that he was a good enough guy but they didn’t get along when it came to basketball and shifting ideals.

“He subscribes to the pack leader mentality quite dedicatedly.” Kuroko had informed them on the train ride back home, after a sudden rainstorm brought the tournament and their sudden meeting to a close; and Kagami and Tatsuya’s challenge to a hold. “He’s perfectly happy to follow the established hierarchy in that the stronger in a pack should lead and the weaker should mind their place and be protected. It was actually one of the rare times where Midorima-kun and I easily agreed, when we disagreed with Murasakibara-kun. He doesn’t mean anything harmful by it. In fact, he’s quite kind. It’s just the way he thinks. I think it’s partially a result of growing up in such a crowded household.”

“Intent or not, he’s still as big of an asshole as those other bastards.” Kagami groused. 

“He can be difficult to get along with, yes.” Kuroko simply agreed before shooting Kagami a calculating look. “Himuro-san must be a rather strong person, for Murasakibara-kun to follow him so easily. He also seems nice enough.”

The _‘but clearly he bothers you, so he bothers me’_ went left unsaid but not unappreciated.

“Is he the reason you don’t like dogs?” Kuroko instead continued, voice softer, as if worried he was overstepping his bounds.

Kagami quickly assured him that that wasn’t the case by answering, “No. He’s actually one of the only ones I can stand. Could stand.” he corrected himself.

Kagami then briefly explained how he was picked on quite a bit when he first moved to America, since he was a foreign new kid who didn’t know the language very well. A couple of guys, shifters who could turn into dogs, it so happened, had roughed him up quite a bit after Kagami had naturally stood up for himself. He fought back as best he could, but he was still outnumbered. Until Tatsuya came to his rescue, vicious snarls and snapping teeth as he scared the jerks off; and kind, soft words as he gently saw to Kagami’s hurts.

Kuroko listened aptly, purposefully leaning into the other and pressing against his side whenever the train’s movement jostled them together. Offering his silent support, his silent comfort.

“Well, I suppose there’s one good thing to come from today.” Kuroko then said, looking off ahead of them. 

Kagami cocked a brow. “And what’s that?”

“We ran a successful experiment.” Kuroko said mysteriously before turning his head back Kagami’s way once more. “Murasakibara-kun wasn’t able to pick up that your scent was on me. He wouldn’t have been capable of withholding a comment had he noticed.”

Oh. Kagami hadn’t even thought of that.

* * *

When they had arrived back at the gym in response to the Coach’s strange message, Momoi was there, eyes as damp as her hair. Apparently her and that asshole Aomine had a fight.

Kuroko was suave in handling her. Much better than Kagami was, considering he caused the girl to burst into tears when he insinuated that Aomine being a jerk to her was nothing new.

“But this time it’s different! H-He said he— He s-said he—” was all the light haired girl got out before she started sobbing. 

The team and Kuroko then gave him a sound verbal beating, before his partner went to the girl, offering her comforting words and delicate strokes to her hair. 

Momoi practically melted into his touch, putty in Kuroko’s skilled hands. (Honestly, Kagami knew the feeling well himself, after today).

Kuroko, a little freakin’ gentleman, then offered to walk Momoi back to her dorm. Momoi of course accepted, albeit sounding like she found herself to be quite a bother to her clear crush (girl had it _bad,_ even Kagami could see that).

Then, super surprisingly, Kuroko had shifted. 

_“Oh!”_ Momoi squealed as she caught him before the small animal could fall to the ground, cuddling him to her chest (and making some of their teammates incredibly jealous). “Tetsu-kun, you really do know how to make me feel better.” she sighed, snuggling into his fur. Kuroko, to his credit, took it like a champ.

Kagami was deeply confused because hadn’t he just concluded that Kuroko didn’t shift in front of the Miracles? He had thought Momoi was included in that, considering she was also a shifter and part of Kuroko’s old pack. And yet here she was, snuggling with _Kagami’s_ bondmate. 

Some kind of emotion flared in him with that thought, something embarrassingly... _jealous._

Momoi then sniffled one final time before turning to the rest of Seirin, the ermine resting in her open palms. “Well, Tetsu-kun is going to take me home now.” she declared, Kuroko giving a confirming nod. No one stated the obvious in that now it was more like she was taking _him_ home, like a cute little stray she had picked up on the street. “Thank you, Seirin! Aida-san, I’ll have Tetsu-kun return your tiny t-shirt to you.” she assured, indicating to the tight shirt that Kuroko had already covered up by providing her with his own overshirt.

The Coach raged, Hyuuga doing his best to placate her while the rest of the team seemed hung up on the imagined scenario in which Momoi got changed in front of Kuroko.

Kagami stewed silently, forcing himself to calm down and not be one of those clingy bondmates who didn’t let their partner go anywhere without them (though considering his bondmate was shifted and in the company of a _former bondmate_ of his own, Kagami felt like his feelings were a little justified).

Then something super, super surprising happened. 

Momoi turned to him. “Well, Kagamin? Are you coming?” she inquired, spawning silence.

Kagami startled. “M-Me? Wait. ‘Kagamin’?”

Momoi gave him a look that suggested she found him amusingly dim-witted. “Of course.” she intoned with a dip of her head and fluttering of her eyelashes, ignoring his confusion over the nickname. “Somebody has to carry our bags for us, after all.”

And before he even really registered it, Kagami was trailing after the two of them, Kuroko’s and his own bag slung over his shoulder and a shopping bag with Momoi’s wet clothes from earlier in hand. The team’s confused outrage over the sudden development was the final sound Kagami heard as the gym doors closed behind them.

As Kagami lagged behind them in silence, Momoi cooed at and petted Kuroko with gentle strokes, who silently allowed for the demeaning treatment. 

_What the hell was going on?_

Kuroko only shifted back long enough to show Momoi his new drive, Kagami watching mesmerized from the bench as his partner blew past the unsuspecting girl. Then soon enough, Kuroko had shifted back and they were back on their way to Momoi’s dorm.

_Seriously, what the hell was going on????_

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Tetsu-kun like this.” Momoi then suddenly spoke, admittedly startling Kagami once more after they had finally arrived outside of her dorm building. “It really did make me feel better. I missed it.” she admitted, voice soft as she tenderly held the ermine in the crook of her neck. “Thank you.”

Then Kuroko was shifting back into a human, still locked in an embrace with Momoi. Kuroko pulled his face away from her shoulder and Momoi released him. Though he gently brushed back some still damp hair away from her face. “Me too, Momoi-san.” was Kuroko’s aloof answer. 

It was a strangely intimate moment. Kagami felt like he was intruding. (Which was ridiculous, he was invited along and, once again, Kuroko was _his_ bondmate).

Momoi headed inside to change and swiftly returned with the Coach’s shirt folded neatly into a bag, Kuroko saying he’d wash and return it for her. Then Momoi was enthusiastically wishing them farewell. 

She pecked Kuroko on the cheek who stoically received it. Then the petite girl was yanking Kagami down by his shirt and giving him one too, causing his face to go aflame.

“And thank you, Kagamin. You’re very sweet.” she said sincerely before just like that, she was gone. 

Man, was this the longest, most emotionally confusing and draining day of Kagami’s life or what? First Tatsuya and now all of whatever all _this_ just was.

“So, uh, what was all that about?” Kagami finally managed the courage to ask on the train ride back home. “I thought you didn’t like shifting in front of other people? Especially those Miracles.” he clarified.

“Momoi-san’s different from the others.” Kuroko easily answered. “She’s always been - and still remains - a very kind person. I see that now. If making her happy means I need to sacrifice a few moments of dignity and allow myself to be coddled, then so be it.” he shrugged. 

“How very chivalrous...” Kagami trailed. 

“So I’ve been told.” Kuroko droned.

“She’s kinda odd, when you think about it.” Kagami started up again. _As odd as the others,_ he chose not to say. “What was with her wanting me to tag along anyways?”

Kuroko then looked to him, seeming confused. “Wasn’t it obvious? She knows we’re bonded.”

_“Seriously?”_

“Yes. She no doubt easily picked up on it once I shifted.” Kuroko said. “Inviting you to come along with us was her being courteous of that fact. She’s quite kind, didn’t I say?”

“Y-Yeah…” Kagami trailed, before a thought occurred to him. “Well, isn’t it bad that she knows? Won’t she go blabbing about it to that asshole? To the others?”

“At most, she’ll tell Aomine-kun, but I’d be shocked if either of them went along and informed the others about it.” Kuroko deduced, seeming unconcerned. “Kise-kun wouldn’t be able to _not_ tell the others. Midorima-kun would say it was none of his business but would inevitably report it to Akashi-kun. Murasakibara-kun wouldn’t even hesitate to do the same. So I’d say Momoi-san is our safest bet.”

“We can test it this way…” Kagami realized. “See if them knowing we’re bonded makes any sort of difference for your misdirection. Whenever we end up going against them, anyways.”

“Exactly.” Kuroko confirmed with a nod. 

“Huh. Kinda genius actually.” Kagami thought aloud.

“Thank you.” Kuroko said flatly, but thanks to their bond, Kagami could feel that Kuroko was quite pleased at the praise.

“Wait a minute.” Kagami then paused. “Who’s this Akashi? Is he…”

“Our pride leader, yes.” Kuroko answered.

Well, Kagami had a name now. A lot of information to unpack today.

“Okay…” Kagami trailed again. “And what’s he like?”

Kuroko stared blankly ahead, something anxious stirring within him, coming to Kagami through their bondlink. “Overly protective.” he answered plainly, then looking to Kagami with a serious stare. “He would not take kindly to the news of our bonding, so be thankful for Momoi-san’s kindness and Aomine-kun’s pride.”

And Kagami really didn’t think Kuroko was joking or laying it on thick, either… So he guessed he was grateful for those weirdos.

(It wasn’t until he got home that night and realized that Momoi had purposefully kept Kuroko’s shirt did Kagami officially decide to rescind those sentiments. Or rather, take them with a grain of salt).

* * *

Kirisaki Daiichi was honest-to-god full of insane people, Kagami concluded. Infuriating and terrifying, even. They far outshot the Miracles in terms of douchebaggery, because at least those guys’ behavior made some sort of sense. They wanted to be the best, the strongest. 

Kirisaki Daiichi only wanted to destroy. Which was an entirely overdramatic sentiment for _goddamn basketball._

They took pride in injuring other players. Had injured Kiyoshi himself. They were the reason he missed the first half of the season. They were the reason this is his last year to play.

There was only one notable shifter amongst them, one with a rather dominating, though confusing scent. He didn’t smell like a traditional predator, but he was one, no doubt. Dangerous, whatever it was. He was a player who happened to be the captain _and_ the coach. Their ringleader; Hanamiya Makoto. A supposed Uncrowned King, someone who was supposed to be the best of the best, had the Miracles not existed.

To Kagami, he was just an asshole. King of them, in fact. His bondmate thought the same. 

Though he remained calm and collected on the surface - as always - Kagami could feel Kuroko’s cold fury as they stood opposite the opposing team, giving formal pregame introductions.

“Let’s have a good game, hm?” Hanamiya hummed cheerily with a wide, malicious smile.

Kagami was on edge the entire game, using every ounce of his control and banking on his training to keep himself from shifting and wreaking havoc on these dirty bastards. Judging by their grim expressions, the whole of Seirin seemed to be in the same boat, especially when Kiyoshi himself seemed inclined to act like everything was fine, like this was a normal game. Until he too broke. 

“I'll sacrifice myself every time, any day, to protect the members of Seirin. That’s why I came back!” Kiyoshi snarled, standing protectively in front of his stunned teammates, blood dripping down his face.

The fury of a kind man sure was something. 

Kiyoshi standing in front of the team protectively, battered and bruised, sharpened teeth clenched in fury, acting as their human shield had almost made Kagami lose his nerve. And yet, Kiyoshi’s passionate resolve to keep his team from harm also made Kagami feel something he had never felt so strongly for a group of people before; a sense of kinship. Of fraternity. 

One good thing to come from the match was that it was a good test of Kagami’s training. Besides the aforementioned instance, he’d only nearly lost control of his instincts two other times throughout the whole game. Once, when he kept getting all those fouls. The second, when Hanamiya himself had taken a swipe at Kuroko.

Luckily, Hyuuga and Mitobe held Kagami back and Kuroko had easily dodged the attempted foul.

Kuroko’s retaliation against Hanamiya had been a magnificent sight to see. To see Kuroko’s cold, quiet rage as he fought back against the other team not with instincts or physical strength, but with wit and mental fortitude, was amazing. Kuroko had outsmarted a so-called genius. 

Seeing Kuroko like that had done _something_ to Kagami. He wasn’t sure what it was, these feelings stirring within him. Pride. Amazement. Admiration…

All he knew was that his bondmate really was something. He’d kill for Kuroko, Kagami realized in that moment. 

(Alright, maybe not _kill._ They did just play basketball, after all. Maybe like, seriously injure or beat up.)

As if his sentiments were heard by the universe itself, the moment came for Kagami to prove himself, after the match had ended in Seirin’s victory. They were lined up, Kirisaki Daiichi having to admit their defeat in a line of bows. 

Then Hanamiya offered his hand to Kuroko. 

The light haired teen eyed it cautiously, but ultimately took it. That’s when Hanamiya then pulled Kuroko close, a crushing grip on the other’s hand as he spoke something indiscernible in his ear.

Kuroko seemed to tense, then. Some sort of mild alarm coming to Kagami through their bondlink.

That’s when Kagami saw red, all his control from earlier gone. He swiftly shifted and lunged at Hanamiya but then something was thrown in his face, blocking his vision and getting stuck in his fur. When he’d finally rubbed it away enough to see, the tiger lifted his head up to see _dear sweet lord the biggest spider he’s ever seen in his life holy—_

It then made a threatening move at Kagami and the tiger couldn’t help but jerk away because the thing had massive pinchers and made a weird hissing noise and it’s bajillion legs were fanned out and it was hairy and huge and _dear god he was gonna have nightmares—_

But Kagami was still much bigger than it, so he snarled and made a move towards it again, to pounce, but then a stinging pain was shooting up his leg and throughout his face and he let out an admittedly pitiful whine, jerking away again.

As he turned away in pained confusion, a high pitched shrieking then made Kagami’s ears ring, resounding throughout the gymnasium and earning his attention back.

Kuroko had shifted, was now standing between Kagami and the giantass spider and letting out squeaky hissing noises of his own. The spider threateningly jerked at Kuroko again but the weasel moved out of the way, as easily as he did as a human on the court.

Then hissing and barking and sheiking and human screaming and the sound of whistles blowing joined the cacophony of noises, absolute chaos descending the stadium.

The remainder of the Seirin shifters had taken their animal forms and come to the freshmen’s aid. Izuki’s wings flapped loudly and wildly as he struck out at the spider with his talons, forcing it and Kuroko apart. The spider seemed ready to take a swipe at Izuki as well but then Kiyoshi let out a ground shaking roar that startled everyone into silence. 

That finally seemed to spark the stunned event officials into action, who began berating them and ordering everyone to shift back at once.

Then the spider was gone, a docile looking Hanamiya in its place. “Just defending myself, sir, that’s all.” the dark haired teen said, a suave air about him as he seemed to shrug, though it seemed a bit more difficult for him to maintain now, post-loss. “I couldn’t help it. My instincts took over, you know?”

The official merely ordered Kirisaki Daiichi off the court since they were already out of the tournament anyway and Hanamiya just agreed and apologized with feigned understanding and sincerity.

The rest of Seirin shifted back as well but Kagami - and it seemed like Izuki as well - was having a hard time of it. He felt off. Woozy.

“Bastard!” Hyuuga cursed, lunging for Hanamiya himself before the Coach shouted his name and Mitobe and Tsuchida held him back. “You did it again! You poisoned them!” 

“P-Poisoned?!” Furihata cried out in a stutter. 

“I’m not sure what you mean by ‘again,’ four eyes.” Hanamiya began, turning to face them one last time before he left. “But they’re perfectly fine. The venom won’t _kill_ them, after all.” he smirked one final time, his teammates sniggering as they followed after him (the foul mood brought on by their defeat now replaced with smug glee over their captain and coach’s actions).

“They did this same thing to Kiyoshi last year.” Koganei explained, sounding actually furious, cat ears still visible despite his human form, pressed back flat against his head.

The Coach then approached Izuki and Kagami with some sort of sticky roller and tweezers. “I had hoped I wouldn’t have to use these…” she seemed to growl before she started to use the strange tools on the tiger and eagle each. 

Hyuuga held Izuki in his lap, the former’s wings sprawled out uselessly on the ground, only giving a minor twitch every now and then after a particularly painful extraction of whatever it was the Coach was removing from his skin and feathers.

Kagami then felt a familiar touch pass through his fur, fingers curling into tufts of it. 

“Are you alright?” Kuroko had asked, kneeling at his side. Kagami answered him by finally managing to shift back.

“Yeah, I’m fine. It just stings.” Kagami admitted, looking down to his arm and making a move to touch his stinging cheek before somebody caught his wrist. 

“Uh-uh. No touching.” Kiyoshi chided in a joking tone with his usual easy smile, though something about it seemed strained. 

Kagami gave him a confused look. 

“There are little hairs embedded into your skin.” the Coach explained. “They’re what’s spreading the venom, causing the pain.”

“Hairs?” Kagami repeated.

“Think of them like stinging nettles.” the Coach elaborated as she finished up with Izuki. “I think you’re set. I won’t be able to apply any balm until you’re able to shift back. I’ll check for any leftovers too then, just in case.”

Izuki only gave a trilling noise of agreement before going limp again.

“Will Izuki-senpai be alright…?” Kagami trailed, eyeing their dazed teammate with worry.

“He’ll be fine.” the Coach explained. “His animal form’s just a lot smaller than yours, so it’s only natural that the venom’s going to affect him a little more strongly than it is you. He should be fine in about an hour or so.”

Kagami slumped in relief. Kuroko’s tense form pressed against his side seemed to relax as well.

Hyuuga scowled at the incapacitated bird in his lap. “Moron. You just had to get involved, didn’t you?” he seethed before he jerked his head up and zero’d his focus onto Kagami. “And you! You started all this! You just _haaad_ to be all territorial over Kuroko.”

Kagami blanched. “H-He threatened him!”

“Hanamiya only offered a snide comment to me, that’s all, Kagami-kun.” Kuroko explained, placing a placating hand upon the nape of Kagami’s neck.

Kagami deflated. “Oh. Wait a second, how the hell did you not get stung?” he asked, tilting his head in Kuroko’s direction.

“I dodged.” Kuroko said, as if it were obvious. Which made no sense, because it wasn’t like there was anything visible _to_ dodge.

“Damn.” Fukuda breathed out. “Remind me to not piss off Kuroko. He’s more dangerous than he looks...”

“Dude, did you not already look up videos on weasels?” Kawahara asked. 

Fukuda squinted at him in return. Scrutinous. “And you did?”

“They’re little sociopathic serial killers.” Kawahara said in lieu of answering. “I’m surprised Kuroko didn’t take Hanamiya out. Weas—err, _stoats_ can take out other animals like four times their size.”

“Dude, that spider was _as big as_ Kuroko. Or nearly. What was Hanamiya anyway?” Fukuda asked. “I might have to look up stuff on whatever he was. I’ve never seen such a bigass spider before… He had to be at least a foot long.”

“Well I won’t be looking it up!” Furihata exclaimed. “Seeing it in person was scarring enough. I’ll be having nightmares for days…”

“He’s a tarantula, technically.” the Coach explained, tending to Kagami finally. “A Goliath birdeater, to be specific.”

“A _what?!”_

“While none of you should have gotten involved,” Kiyoshi started, drawing everyone’s attention and quieting the ruckus. He then placed a hand atop Kuroko’s head and gave his hair an affectionate ruffle. “It was very nice seeing us all come together like that. Both during and after the game. Thank you.”

Hyuuga then verbally berated Kiyoshi for thinking they didn’t have a right to get involved in the first place and Kagami tuned them out, trying not to cry out too loudly as the Coach plucked out a particularly painful stinger. He also tried not to blush too hard as Kuroko, without having to be asked, grabbed onto Kagami’s non-stinging hand and held it comfortingly. 

“W-What did that bastard say to you, anyway?” Kagami asked, not only as a means of distraction, but because he was deeply curious (and anxious) about it. 

“Hanamiya?” Kuroko questioned. “Just a demeaning, false insinuation about Aomine-kun and I’s relationship. Apparently they ran into each other at halftime.” was all he decided to share.

Oh great, _that_ bastard had been there the whole time... Now Kagami got to worry about whether or not the other shifter also saw the redhead’s spectacular display of incompetence as a bondmate.

After their injuries had been properly seen to, the event staff let Seirin off with a warning. The Coach bemoaned and raved on about their stupidity and posturing nearly costing them their win, but Kagami didn’t care because Kiyoshi had reassuringly patted him on the head as well and Kuroko was still pressed to his non-sore side throughout the journey home. Both actions were beyond comforting, especially after the day they’d just had.

(Enough so that maybe Kagami’d be able to _not_ picture Hanamiya’s terrifying second skin whenever he’d close his eyes tonight.)

* * *

The tie against Shutoku was a little lackluster, but it allowed for something previously unimagined to occur; for what would probably be the only time ever, every single team with a Miracle on it would be competing in a single tournament, the Winter Cup.

After the stress and soreness brought on by the Kirisaki Daiichi game, the hot springs retreat was a welcomed distraction. Kagami wouldn’t be joining the rest of the team for the remainder of their trip - the training camp in the mountains - since he’d be heading off to America tomorrow. To train. To see Alex. But he decided to enjoy his night of reprieve regardless.

He still hadn’t worked up the courage to tell Kuroko he’d be leaving yet. He was pretty sure he was gonna end up telling the Coach to do it for him. He supposed he was afraid that it’d be too difficult to say goodbye, that he’d lose his nerve and not want to leave once he had to face those big ol’ blue eyes.

Man, Kagami sure had turned into a wuss whenever his bondmate was involved. He sure was whipped. 

His fussing after Kuroko had nearly passed out in the spring had only affirmed that, as Kagami didn’t hesitate to pick him up in an admittedly embarrassing way and take him into the cooler inn. Like the good bondmate that he was, he left Kuroko laid out on a bench to get him his preferred cold drink.

When the vending machine had finally spat out the pocari, Kagami felt a tingling sensation thrum throughout his skull, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. 

_Kuroko was startled. Confused. Distressed._

Kagami sprinted to where he left his partner and when he returned, it was to the sight of Aomine of all people looming over his bondmate. What the hell was he even doing here?

Kuroko’s distressdidn’t show on his face of course and Aomine didn’t look that hostile even, only a little ticked off about something. Upset. But there was a heavy air in the hallway as Kuroko kept his head down, not in submission but in a refusal to meet the other’s beseeching look.

“I seriously didn’t believe Satsuki when she told me, but I can tell now. You _reek_ of _him.”_ Aomine spat, a scowl on his face. “Seriously, Tetsu, have you lost your mind? You barely know this guy. Even if he is like us, what makes you think he’s any better? You’ve just traded me in for a cheaper model. You can see that, right?”

“You sound like Kise-kun.” Kuroko said, looking excellently unbothered.

“Even that idiot has some bright moments.” Aomine scoffed. “Seriously, what’s your plan here? To mock us? Make us jealous? You don’t have to do that. You already belong with us, with me. We’re bondmates.”

Kuroko snapped his head up, voice dripping cold anger. “No. I belonged _to_ you. We all belonged to Akashi-kun.”

Aomine looked genuinely confused. “We’re _partners._ He was our _leader,_ what do you—”

“A bond isn’t ownership, Aomine-kun.” Kuroko actually interrupted. “It’s precisely that; a partnership. We may have been bonded, but I was never anyone’s equal. Not even yours.”

Aomine scowled. “Well, what’s your grand plan, then, huh? What are you going to do when you face Akashi? You seriously think you’ll be able to? No, no, you won’t even get that far. The ones who’ll win the Winter Cup are gonna be—”

“—Us.” Kagami finally interrupted, having heard enough, slinging an overly familiar arm over Aomine’s shoulder in a heavy hold.

Aomine shrugged him off, snarling, ears now visible and pressed flat against his head, his sharpened teeth clenched. 

Kagami merely smiled back smugly. He had no idea why he was so calm, why he didn’t feel compelled to shift. His control must’ve really improved. He also had to admit that seeing too-cool-to-care Aomine so bothered by his whole existence was pretty gratifying, in a weird way. 

In a smooth motion, Kagami twirled around and plopped down on the bench, now placing an arm over Kuroko’s shoulders, handing the other his drink with his free hand. Kuroko took it with a soft thanks.

Then with a final snarl, Aomine was gone, tail tucked between his legs (quite literally).

“Was that really necessary?” Kuroko finally asked, twisting open his pocari. 

“It got rid of him, didn’t it?” Kagami asked rhetorically with a raised eyebrow. “Has he always been that easy to tick off?” he couldn’t help but snicker.

“He’s always been overly protective.” Kuroko confirmed, fiddling with the bottle’s plastic wrapping. “Though ever since I left him and the others, it’s been more stifling. He’s upset, naturally.”

Kagami still didn’t have the full story about what exactly went down between Kuroko and the other Miracles, but that was fine. Kuroko would tell him in time. “Well, he’ll come around, I’m sure.”

Kuroko finally looked up to him. “You think so?” he asked evenly, not allowing his voice to take on a little lilt of hope, like he surely wanted to.

“Yeah, I do.” Kagami assured sincerely before smirking. “After we kick his ass in the first round, that is.”

Kuroko gave him a soft, amused smile. “Yes.” he merely agreed.

Honestly, Kagami couldn’t wait. The Winter Cup was going to be an all out war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some notes to clarify things, if anything wasn’t clear;
> 
> \- Bonds come with a sense of hyper awareness to your partner(s)’ feelings. It’s not like a major physical feeling, more like a nagging sensation at the back of your mind  
> \- I changed the streetball tournament where they meet Himuro + Mura for the first time into like a shifter relay race for the sake of getting a shifter reveal for both of those characters  
> \- it was only referenced in some behind the scenes stuff, but Touou Gauken is supposed to be like a boarding school. Now it could very well be the case that Momoi and Aomine most likely don’t dorm there (because they already live in Tokyo) but I like to imagine that they do bc then that makes the fact that Aomine consciously chooses to nap on the roof of the school so much more funny if he in fact has a dorm room nearby that he could just go to  
> \- you’re telling me that Kuroko would allow for Momoi to go all the way back home/to campus at night in a big city _by herself, canon???_ I don’t buy it.  
> \- I neglected Momoi in the last fic so I sought to fix that this time around + gave her what her heart most deeply desires + she deserves; fluffy content with Kuroko  
> \- tarantulas have ulcerating hairs (basically like invisible porcupine bristles that they can shoot out in self defense).  
> \----  
> Thanks for all the feedback on the first fic! It really inspired me to keep writing.


	2. Chapter 2

Kagami really only had himself to blame, but he had never felt so anxious in all his life, so restless. Besides from being late as hell to the first game of the Winter Cup, a nagging issue had made itself very clear to Kagami over these last few days. His initial method of just denying and ignoring it wouldn’t work for him anymore now, not when he was so close to fixing his problem; Kagami missed his bondmate.

Don’t get him wrong, it was great going back to LA for a bit. It was his home as much as Japan was. His usually LA-based dad just so happened to have a conference in Singapore or something the week Kagami was back, so he couldn’t see him but he did get to see Alex again. Which was effectively the same thing since she was practically his mother (though she’d protest to being called such and demand she be labeled the ‘fun aunt’ at the very least). Seeing Alex to train was also the whole point of his trip in the first place, so it wasn’t really a big deal that he and his dad missed each other. There were other reasons to be in LA. 

Being back reminded Kagami how much he had apparently missed Alex, how lonely he was before Seirin and Kuroko came into the picture.

...Though now Alex was freeloading at his Japan apartment for the foreseeable future, so he guessed he wouldn’t have to start missing her again anytime soon. She proclaimed she had ‘no choice’ but to go back to Japan with Kagami in order to meet her protégé's sudden new bondmate. (And to see the fruits of her training in action, of course, but mostly the former).

When they reunited, Alex apologized for their own bond being broken, due to the distance and their different paths. Though shock quickly replaced her remorse when Kagami embarrassingly confessed that he wasn’t all that lonely in Japan because he had actually formed a new bond. Had a new bondmate that he really cared about. That’s when she decided to drop everything to come back with him.

 _‘To make sure he’s good enough for my little cub.’_ she had explained and Kagami would’ve wished for the plane to drop from the sky right then and there, if his sudden demise didn’t also mean spending more time apart from his bondmate.

Yeah, _alright._ Without a doubt, Kagami was whipped beyond hell. But he didn’t care because now he was back on the ground, on his way to the game, on his way to his bondmate.

A bond was funny over distance. Bonds were really only most effective when bonded partners were near each other. There was only so far a connection could stretch to be strong enough to feel like a sixth sense. Apparently, an ocean was that range. That must’ve been why so many bonds were broken with physical distance. Though of course Kagami already knew that from experience. 

Only this time around, he and his bondmate weren’t separated to grow apart from each other. They were separated so they could grow stronger and then come together again even more powerful than before. 

This time, he had someone to come back to. And that felt pretty amazing.

Since landing in Japan Kagami could _feel_ something tugging at him, pushing and pulling him to where he needed to be. Where his team was. Where his bondmate was. He was giddy, shifting into his tiger form without a care to the various stunned reactions of the pedestrians he barreled past in his mad dash to the stadium, Alex muttering something sleepily about youth before she made her way to the apartment with their stuff to fight off her jet-lag.

Even when he was back in LA, Kagami could still feel Kuroko. Very faintly and only if he concentrated, but the connection was there, though pulled thin by distance and time. Or like his feet after wearing shoes that were too tight all day. The feeling left behind lingered faintly. It felt like there was something there, but there wasn’t. 

...Okay, so he was no Shakespeare or whatever, but it was the best analogy he could think of.

The only way to be rid of the phantom feeling was to either do nothing and keep the distance and naturally break the bond over time - which there was no chance in hell he was doing, thanks. Which left the only other option of closing the distance between he and his bondmate as quickly as physically possible. Maybe he could even tackle Kuroko to the ground and refreshen their scents if they had time before the game started. 

Though Kagami’s rom-com-esque reunion plans were dashed when he made it to the stadium and a new, though familiar feeling washed over Kagami; Kuroko’s distress. He somehow ran with even more vigor.

When he followed the tugging to the back of the stadium and arrived near some steps, he caught sight of Furihata first, trembling in place, looking ahead of him in apparent terror...

At the Generation of Miracles all gathered around each other, though keeping their distance, in various states of tenseness and alertness themselves. Then there was also Kuroko, at the outskirts of the weird formation like the rest of them, but sticking close to Furihata’s side. Looking as cool and calm as always on the surface, but their bond painted a different picture for Kagami.

Kuroko was uncomfortable. Itching to leave as much as Furihata clearly was, but fighting the urge and staying firmly in place. Smothering the desire as swiftly and effectively as he did all other emotions - though as always when it came to the Miracles, it was much more difficult for him to do. Especially in the presence of _all_ of them. Kuroko had to be super concentrated right now. The fact that he hadn’t even noticed Kagami was nearby was proof enough that all the Miracles - all his former bondmates, so near yet so far - were probably overwhelming his senses.

Kagami managed to hold back a growl, but only just barely.

Then a pair of mismatched eyes were set on Kagami, a deceptively pleasant smile pulling at a pair of thin lips. 

“It seems we have an intruder.” said the eyes’ owner in a rather calm, surprisingly airy voice. “Excuse me, but I requested to speak with only my bondmates. Could you please leave?”

Poor Furihata looked like he wanted nothing more than to do just that, thinking the shorter redhead was addressing him, but Kagami had other plans. If this turned ugly, it was better to have another shifter on Seirin’s side. (If only to just run and get help, at the very least).

Kagami shifted back and grabbed Furihata’s shoulder in a brief sign of reassurance. Furihata practically jumped out of his skin, till he realized who it was.

“That’s a little rude.” Kagami said with false charm, flashing a toothy smirk at the guy at the top of the stairs. “And after I came all this way?”

Kuroko’s head whipped around, probably one of the fastest motions Kagami’s seen him perform off of the court. “Kagami-kun.” he said in a breathy voice, sounding both genuinely relieved and pleased, causing something in Kagami to melt in delight. 

Kagami fixed his bondmate with an admittedly dopey smile before he removed his hand from Furihata’s shoulder and nestled his fingers in Kuroko’s hair. “I’m back.” he said softly, running his fingers through the silky strands.

Kuroko seemed to settle just a bit at his touch, as if Kagami’s presence was welcomed, was calming him down and making him feel safe. His tiger inwardly purred in satisfaction.

Though obviously, his actions didn’t go unnoticed by the Miracles. Or unforgiven, for that matter. It was probably a little dumb on Kagami’s part, to be so openly touchy with Kuroko in front of them, but like Kagami could stop himself. Like they could ruin his reunion with _his_ bondmate anymore than they already were. 

Momoi was worryingly running her fingers through her hair, looking very much like she wanted to reach out and reassuringly touch the openly growling and scowling Aomine at her side, but refraining. Kise was watching the Seirin players with a clear furrow between his brows, something ugly and jealous maring his pretty features. The giant, Murasakibara, was looking at Kuroko’s head - and Kagami’s hand - with a scrutinous gaze, gnawing at some kind of snack between his canines. Midorima was pointedly looking away but scowling at the ground, as if it had personally offended him. And finally, something burning, scalding, was in the mismatched gaze of the guy at the top of the stairs. The Miracles’ pack leader.

The guy - Akashi, Kagami recalled - slowly descended the stairs, stopping near Midorima. “Kagami Taiga-kun, right?” he inquired rhetorically, before holding a hand out and being given some scissors courtesy of Midorima after a short exchange.

Then, closing the distance between them before he even knew it, Akashi was coming at Kagami with the scissors, slicing at his cheek and forcing him and Kuroko apart. Kagami barely dodged in time, cheek stinging. No doubt he would’ve needed stitches had he not been so agile.

“Kagami-kun!” Kuroko’s concerned voice was then shouting, making Kagami feel both flattered that he could elicit such a reaction from his bondmate but also furious that he was so clearly upset on his behalf.

Kuroko was making to close the forced distance between he and Kagami before a hand was shoved in his path, causing Kuroko to reel away with almost as much haste as Kagami had dodged the scissors. 

Akashi wasn’t threatening Kuroko with a household object-turned-weapon however. Only with an open palm that Kuroko avoided as though it could burn him.

Kagami would’ve pounced at that, had he not still been recovering from his shock.

Akashi tutted. “Now, now, Tetsuya.” he dissuaded and though he addressed it to Kuroko directly, it also seemed to be aimed at the other Miracles, who were now standing in various stages of mid-action. “That’s enough of that now.”

Kagami growled at the clear dismissive tone, the clear _command,_ and before he knew it had shifted and was lunging for the bastard who dared to speak to his friend like that, causing some indistinguishable people to shout in fright or alarm or bark or growl or chirp...

But then something slammed into Kagami, forcing him to drop to the ground. But the weirdest thing was, it was something non-physical. Something heavy and sickening. Metallic and lingering. 

_Akashi’s scent._

God, it was somehow even more nauseating from the source. So nauseating in fact that Kagami couldn’t _move._ His body wouldn’t respond. He couldn’t even shift back. Forcing his eyes to look past the looming figure of Akashi, Kagami could see that the Miracles had all shifted as well. Were all sitting meekly, at attention to the _alpha._ Looking pissed, but not surprised.

What the hell was going on? This wasn’t... This wasn’t _normal._ Just what was going on?

With the very same scissors he had taken a swipe at Kagami with just moments before, Akashi then began giving himself that haircut he mentioned earlier. 

“Strange, isn’t it?” he addressed to Kagami, carelessly sniping at his bangs and allowing the unwanted strands to carelessly fall to the ground, some even landing on Kagami’s snout, the tiger unable to move away from the tickling sensation. “You’ll find my will is hard to ignore. A...persuading scent such as mine is quite rare these days.” he explained, continuing to spout some nonsense about food chains and hierarchies and being absolute as Kagami and everyone else was forced to listen.

Almost everyone else. 

_“A-Akashi-kun.”_ Kuroko interrupted when Akashi had finally paused in his spiel long enough for air. Kuroko seemed to ground out the words between clenched teeth from his spot on his knees on the ground. On his _human_ knees.

Akashi faced Kuroko with an amused, though abjectly terrifying look. He regarded the other like an interesting abnormality himself. “Still as stubborn as ever I see, Tetsuya.” he noted with a raised brow. Not surprised, but still sounding mildly irritated.

He then reached out a hand, as if to pat Kuroko on the head but Kuroko jerked away from his reach. “Akashi-kun, _please.”_ he grounded out again, voice somehow more even but no less exasperated. “The games will be starting soon.” he logically reasoned.

Akashi sighed lightly through his nose. “Very well. Believe it or not, _I_ do know my place.” he said aloofly and wasn’t that the most hilarious thing Kagami’s ever heard, but then whatever invisible pressure that had settled over him was gone.

Kagami was finally able to shift back, but couldn’t rise from the floor. Though it was entirely his own fault this time around. He was stuck staring up at the psychotic redhead in plain confusion. The Miracles followed suit, shifting back and offering their own complaints.

 _“Akashi.”_ Midorima seemed to curse, fists clenched in fury but feet rigidly in place 

“Aka-chin…” Murasakibara trailed in an angered whine.

“My apologies.” Akashi offered without much remorse in his tone. “Instincts getting the better of me and all. Sorry for keeping you. I only wanted to confirm something,” he began, turning away from everyone else before glancing back at them with a single yellow eye. “but I can see now. You all haven’t forgotten our promise. Well then, I will see you all later.”

And then he was gone. 

The Miracles all then swiftly disappeared after him in opposite directions, without so much as a single word or grunt between them. They were angry. 

_Pissed._

Embarrassed.

Kagami could relate.

“Are you alright?” Kuroko was then asking him, kneeling at Kagami’s side and settling a bruising grip on his arm.

Kagami placed his own hand over it, offering a reassuring squeeze. “I’m fine.” he assured, though the slight waver in his voice from shock and sudden fatigue no doubt only set Kuroko more on edge. 

Kuroko’s eyes studied him for a moment, as if trying to discern whether his bondmate was being truthful or not. After another reassuring squeeze to his hand courtesy of Kagami, something in Kuroko finally seemed to unfurl, practically sag in hesitant relief. 

Then a pitiful whine drew both their attention. 

“Furihata-kun.” Kuroko said with a minor hint of remorse in his tone as he tentatively reached out to the shaky little chihuahua, but refrained from touching him. “Can you not change back?”

Furihata only offered another pitiful whine.

“I’m sorry.” Kuroko merely apologized, as if he had caused the offense himself. (No doubt Furi’s literal puppy dog eyes were a bit of a weakness to Kuroko, a known dog lover, causing him to admit to a fault he didn’t commit).

Furihata, though confused as he seemed, merely padded over the short distance between them, literally slumping against Kagami and Kuroko both as his legs were unable to support him any longer.

As if given permission, Kuroko ran a hand through Furihata’s fur, something heavy and sad coming from Kuroko to Kagami through their bond. “I’m sorry.” Kuroko repeated again, not looking as pained as Kagami could feel he was. “Akashi-kun shouldn’t have done what he did.”

“What _did_ he do?” Kagami finally managed to say, dazed himself.

Kuroko looked away, contemplative or hesitant, even Kagami couldn’t tell. Only after Furihata bopped his arm with his wet nose did Kuroko finally seem able to answer. “I don’t really understand it myself but Akashi-kun is able to...intimidate other people’s animal forms. Force them to submit to his own will, even without having to shift himself.” he explained.

Kagami’s brow furrowed. He’d never really heard of anything like that happening, outside of like movies or actual real life _crimes._ Where strong shifters could force others to shift and do their bidding. Become their alpha without a bond. But that was super rare, more of a myth to Kagami than an actual fact of life. He’s never seen it in person, let alone been on the receiving end of it. Though that also begged the question… 

“It doesn’t work on you.” he stated, more so than asked.

Kuroko still didn’t meet his gaze. “I’m an anomaly to him. My ability to resist instincts is as odd as his ability to control them. But it’s not easy for me. Any longer and I might’ve…” he trailed, purposefully stopping himself, before he turned his big ol’ blue eyes on Kagami. His eyes filled with worry, with regret, with apology. “I’m sorry, Kagami-kun. I—” he started but Kagami didn’t allow him to finish. 

Kagami shifted back and started to do what he had wanted to do the moment he landed; he began to imprint on Kuroko, to freshen his own scent on the other as if it was now powerful enough to mask the _still, somehow still_ lingering scent of all those damn Miracles’ but especially Akashi’s. 

Kuroko merely wrapped his arms around Kagami, burying his face into the tiger’s fur and making Kagami feel just a little bit better because Kuroko wouldn’t dare to do this with any of the Miracles. Especially Akashi. He wouldn’t even let him get near to him, unlike the fleeting touches he allowed the others on occasion. Kuroko inwardly trembled when his former pack leader drew closer. 

Yet still he firmly stood his ground, resisted when Akashi had threatened Kagami, his current bondmate. 

It wasn’t the reunion that he wanted, but it did help to affirm to Kagami that Kuroko felt the same as he did. That he missed him just as much, _needed_ him just as much. Kuroko clung tightly, not shifting himself but allowing the other to mark him until he was completely coated in Kagami’s scent, seeming to calm at each lick and nuzzle, begrudgingly smiling and tenderly stroking the other’s furry face in return.

Too soon, they were picking themselves up from off the ground, Kagami shifting back and wordlessly grabbing Furihata and tucking him under his arm. He felt a little bad for treating his teammate like he was a little accessory, but it was quicker than having him try to keep up in his still weakened state.

When they had finally arrived, instead, the rest of their teammates already taking their place at one of the benches, the Coach was furious at their lateness and Kagami’s lack of common sense when it came to time zones. But her fury was swiftly replaced with worry as she saw Kuroko and Kagami’s grim expressions, and Furihata stuck in his animal form.

“What happened?” she demanded and Kuroko and Kagami briefly filled her in. Kagami only angered further by Kuroko’s clipped, emotionless responses.

In that moment, Kagami decided that he disliked all the Miracles, but he _hated_ Akashi. He was gonna beat him if it was the last thing that he did. He was going to challenge whatever claim he seemed to think he had on Kuroko. But with basketball, no petty, out-of-date intimidation tactics.

But first, they had to face Aomine.

* * *

The game was torturous and the weird, traumatic experience from before only made it all worse for everyone no doubt. Likewise, Kagami’s heightened scent - which of course actually told of his freshened scent on Kuroko - no doubt only served to piss Aomine off more. The guy was an absolute raging beast from the start of the game.

Didn’t make him any less of a dick though, especially where Kuroko was involved. 

Kagami wondered if the run in with his former captain had contributed to Kuroko’s clearly emotionally vulnerable state, that it led to Kuroko losing more control during this game than he ever had before. (Not that Aomine needed any help in making Kuroko feel shitty. He did a great job of that on his own).

Though Kagami supposed he owed all those Miracles for that. He wouldn’t say he was grateful that they made Kuroko upset, so frustrated with himself and life that Kagami had actually seen him _cry._ But seeing his bondmate in such a low state is what unlocked the Zone for Kagami and ultimately granted them their win.

Seirin had defeated Touou. Kagami and Kuroko had bested Aomine.

Later, when Kagami had found Kuroko out in the cold on Kagami’s balcony, after the team decided to crash his place for their post-game celebrations, Kuroko was honest with him.

“I know you think the worst of them, but they weren’t always like this.” he started softly. “Not even Akashi-kun, if you can believe it.” he added without humor. 

“I can’t.” Kagami honestly supplied. “But I believe how you felt. How you feel. I know you want this Kuroko. Whatever it is you’re trying to do. I...hope today’s win’ll help with that, I guess.”

“I hope it will too.” Kuroko confessed as he continued to lean on the railing, looking down at the grey concrete below the drop, at the street below. He then admitted, so low that Kagami had almost lost it to the soundscape of the city, “I just want to see them all happy again. Especially Aomine-kun. He had such a bright smile.”

The truth then occurred to Kagami like a sad epiphany. “You want them back.” he realized with reluctant acceptance.

“I do.” Kuroko answered honestly, without hesitance. He then turned to Kagami, brow furrowed, as if he realized something. Had picked up on something himself. “But that doesn’t mean that I don’t want you too. That I don’t also need you.”

“I know.” Kagami assured. He was honestly a little surprised with how honest his own answer was. How much he believed it. 

Kuroko then smiled at him, more dazzling than anything Kagami was sure Aomine could offer. He then did something incredibly surprising; Kuroko hugged him, his arms wrapping around Kagami’s middle and cheek resting against the fabric of his shirt. 

Granted, Kuroko had initiated contact with him before. Hell, had even hugged him before. But this was different. Kuroko was never quite this openly affectionate when Kagami wasn’t in some sort of emanate danger. Never when he was a _human_ either.

“I’m glad I met you, Kagami-kun.” Kuroko said into his side.

Kagami couldn’t take it anymore. He felt like he was about to burst into flames, his face much too hot to be considered a healthy hue. He wrapped his own arms around Kuroko despite his overwhelming embarrassment, causing his bondmate to let out a soft _‘oof’_ as Kagami squeezed him probably a little too tightly. 

Kagami was entirely unapologetic however and just buried his face in Kuroko’s hair, inhaling the scent of his bondmate’s shampoo, but also the faint trace of vanilla. Of ink and paper. Worn down rubber. _Kuroko’s scent,_ something you could only smell in this form if he let you get this close.

Kagami felt better than he had in a long time. Slept better too.

Waking up in the morning to the team still sprawled out on his floor, along with himself, due to the Coach poisoning them all was a rather unforeseen circumstance. But also waking up _still_ in Kuroko’s embrace - as that’s how they both fell to the floor - softened the blow (probably literally too). It was the best night’s sleep Kagami’s ever gotten. He was gonna have to ask Kuroko to sleep over more after this. That was something normal for bondmates to do, wasn’t it? He remembered plenty of sleepovers with Tatsuya when he was younger. None ever left him feeling quite this blissed out though...

Alex’s introduction to the team and the embarrassment that followed after kinda threatened his high spirits. 

“He’s very cute! Very nice! I like him!” the American declared before promptly giving Kuroko two smooches to each of his cheeks, just as she’d done to Kagami and the Coach earlier. Kuroko stoically received the gesture with polite confusion.

The team’s teasing laughter that followed had also threatened his good mood a bit but that was fine. Between the Zone, their win, and his bondmate being back by his side, there was little that could make Kagami’s good mood vanish.

Except for those Miracles of course.

* * *

The next day, Kuroko was meeting up with Aomine and Momoi and upon learning that they were two of Kuroko’s former bondmates - were technically still his bondmates - Alex was insistent that Kagami go after them and that training by night was a much more effective use of their time.

“Your poor teacher is still a little jet-lagged! Besides, lions and tigers prefer to do their killing in the dark, after all.” she had teased with a wink, Kagami having no idea what she was talking about with the killing part. Killing his legs, maybe. His stamina. “But you also can’t let them steal back your mans, Taiga!”

“He’s not my _mans,”_ Kagami albut squeaked, chucking the ball at the hoop with little care. It missed, naturally, since he was currently the victim of a weird form of hazing courtesy of his mentor. “he’s my bondmate. And I’m not gonna suffocate him. He can meet with who he likes.”

“Even former lovers?” she said in a near gasp.

Kagami fixed her with a deadpan stare that would’ve no doubt made Kuroko proud. “You watch too many soaps. And they’re _bondmates._ Former bondmates.” he said, before he thought about when Kuroko had let Momoi nuzzle all up into his fur in his ermine form. “Partial bondmates.” he amended, before he also thought of what Kuroko had said about wanting to be together with the other Miracles again. “Future bondmates. Dammit, I don’t know...” he finally cursed, kicking the ball away from himself.

Alex bent down and picked it up, lazily dribbling a couple times in a relaxed form. “You _would_ know if you went with them. Didn’t they invite you?” she asked.

Kuroko had casually offered, yeah, but Kagami had immediately dismissed it. Momoi had even sent him the location of the streetball court they were practicing at (Kagami didn’t even know how she got his number). He was no doubt the last person Aomine wanted to see.

Kagami explained all this to Alex. 

“Sounds to me like you’re just afraid of seeing them being all buddy-buddy, bondy-bondy with each other. Afraid of feeling left out in the moment, so you exclude yourself from the start.” Alex theorized and Kagami must’ve faced her with the most bug-eyed stare of his life because she laughed, bouncing the ball a few more times before catching it. “I also watch a lot of daytime TV therapists.” she clarified, effortlessly spinning the ball on a finger. “Dr. P, Doc O…”

“Retirement hasn’t been kind to you.” Kagami said, voice leaking judgment. 

“Shut it, brat.” Alex calmly spat, pelting the ball at him, which Kagami caught easily. “There. We’ve tested your sharp reflexes. Training is done for the day.”

“Alex…” Kagami groaned, voice admittedly sounding rather petulant as he threw his head back in exasperation. 

“Just _go,_ Taiga. You can train tomorrow.” she pointed out. “Whatever is going down with your bondmate right now though? That can’t wait. He’s probably feeling his most vulnerable right now. Outnumbered by his former bondmates. Or future bondmates… Or whatever you wanna call them. Point is, I’m sure he’d feel a lot better if his _current_ bondmate was there to lovingly offer his support, especially after so much time apart.”

Kagami really hated it when she made points. Which was like all the time, considering she was his mentor.

When Kagami next checked his phone it was only to see yet another text from Momoi, this one listing the address of a nearby cafe that they were grabbing lunch from. 

Kagami really wished he understood women.

Without really even registering it, Kagami found himself in the doorway to some out-of-the-way French style cafe, the little bell above the door signaling his entrance. His party was hard to miss.

“Kagamin!” Momoi waved him over from the booth she sat at with Kuroko, Aomine, and freaking Kise, of all people. Kagami would’ve hightailed it out of there if the appearance of yet another Miracle didn’t also cause something petty and petulant in him to refuse to leave Kuroko alone now.

“Kagamicchi, now this is a surprise.” Kise greeted sounding actually somewhat pleasant. “What brings you here?”

“I should be asking you that.” Kagami droned as he dropped his bag to the floor and pulled over a chair, noting rather testily that he couldn’t be nearer to Kuroko because he was boxed into the booth by Momoi (though he supposed it was the lesser of the three evil options). “Aren’t you supposed to be in Kanagawa?”

“I had a shoot nearby.” Kise merely shrugged with a stupid little smirk as he took a dainty bite of his yogurt parfait. “Momoicchi invited me.”

“You send out a freakin’ mass text or something, Satsuki…?” Aomine seemed to growl out, absolutely scowling at Kagami. Whatever pleasant admittance of defeat made him meeker in Kagami’s presence yesterday was utterly gone now.

“Just Ki-chan and Kagamin. Midorin had a club event today.” Momoi helpfully supplied as she took a sip from her ceramic teacup. Kagami didn’t ask why _that_ was the selected grouping for whatever this outing was.

“Momoi-san’s information is as impressive as always.” Kuroko merely complimented. Momoi preened, looping her arm through Kuroko’s and humming softly.

So he guessed Momoi and Kuroko were all sorted out then. That was good for his partner, he supposed. One down. That left these other two here. Kagami had the sudden realization that the rekindling of their bond had to be Momoi’s ulterior motive with whatever this outing was. 

Kagami takes it back, she was probably even eviler than all the other Miracles combined.

“Tetsu-kun. Why don’t you go and get Kagamin something to drink? And eat, for that matter.” Momoi ‘casually’ suggested as she vacated her seat, allowing Kuroko to slide out. “I’m sure he’s tired from all his training and then coming all the way here.”

Oh, yeah. Definitely eviler. 

Kuroko nodded and got up. “I’ll try to find something you’ll like.” his partner addressed to Kagami.

“O-Oh. Ugh, sure. Thanks.” Kagami said with eloquent word-garbage, too shocked by his partner’s willingness to perform such a task for him to offer much of a complaint. Embarrassingly enough, he felt himself flush.

Kuroko merely nodded once more, offering a minuscule smile before he was off. 

“No fair.” Kise whined with a dramatic pout. “Kurokocchi didn’t get _my_ stuff for me.”

“Tetsu doesn’t have to get you shit. He isn’t your servant.” Aomine cursed at Kise, the first real words he’d spoken since Kagami showed up, that weren’t some muttered comment to himself. The full force of his harsh glare was then directed at Kagami directly. “He isn’t _yours_ either.”

“F-off. It’s not like I told him to do it.” Kagami shot back, done with this bastard’s shitty attitude, especially where Kuroko was concerned.

“Stop it, Dai-chan.” Momoi easily placated. 

Kagami snorted. “Dai-chan?” he echoed. 

“I don’t wanna hear it, _Kagamin.”_ Aomine spat right back.

“Come on now, everyone. This isn’t why I invited us all here.” Momoi said, doing a rather good job of sounding whiny when her face looked absolutely angered.

“Why _did_ you invite us all here then, Momoicchi?” Kise then asked, resting his chin on a hand lazily. He then made a vague gesture with the hand still holding his spoon. “Besides from this place’s pleasant atmosphere.” he joked mildly.

“Right.” Momoi seemed to hype herself up, adjusting her posture so she was sitting up straight and her hands were neatly folded atop the table in front of her. She then announced as though it were well-know, common knowledge, “We all love Tetsu-kun.”

Kagami startled. “I-I don’t...What the...I mean…”

“What the hell, Satsuki?” Aomine would’ve blanched, had he not been too dark to.

Kise didn’t even bother denying it. “Your point, Momoicchi?”

“And Tetsu-kun loves Kagamin. I’ve thought this for a while now.” she explained, looking solemn as she shared this information. “But seeing Tetsu-kun’s reaction when...when Akashi-kun _went after_ Kagamin, it only confirmed it for me.” she continued, before turning her attention to Kagami directly. “And I’ve known for a while now that you love Tetsu-kun too, Kagamin.”

“That’s—” Kagami began, the ending of the sentence would’ve sounded something along of the lines of _‘none of your business,’_ had Momoi not interrupted him.

“And so I say to you, Kagamin; welcome to the club.” she proclaimed, causing Kagami to pause.

“Hah?”

Kise gave him an amused, though slightly peeved look. “You’ll find that it’s a frustratingly large club.” he said vaguely.

Aomine merely continued to scowl, slamming back his hot chocolate. “Move, Kise.” he demanded. “I’m getting another one.”

Kise didn’t budge. “No, no, Aominecchi. No running away from your feelings now.”

 _“Move,_ Kise.” Aomine just repeated. “I’ll kick your ass out of this booth. You know I will.”

Kise's reluctant expression suggested he in fact did know. Though he stayed strong. “Aominecchi…”

Momoi came to his defense. “Testu-kun is Kagamin’s bondmate now. So I say we should all be considerate of this fact and try to all get along. For Tetsu-kun’s sake.”

Aomine opened his mouth, as if to argue further, but Momoi promptly beat him to it.

“He’s more Tetsu-kun bondmate now than any of us are.” she hastily said, voice rather harsh, prompting the other two Miracles to fall into stunned, remorseful silence. Momoi didn’t look too happy herself, though she managed to continue, “However, I think that if Tetsu-kun wants to, and Kagamin allows it, we can...maybe fix that.”

The three Miracles then faced Kagami with various beseeching, regretful looks. It kinda made Kagami sick to his stomach, mostly because of how guilty he felt for no good reason.

“Kuroko is still your bondmate too.” he calmly started with a sigh, managing to leave off the ‘somehow’ he rather wanted to throw in at the end there. “If he wants to work on mending your bond - which I’m pretty sure that he does. How is that not obvious to you guys at this point? Anyway, my point is that’s his business. I don’t have any sort of right to tell him what he can and can’t do. Who he can and can’t hang out with.”

The Miracles faced him with stunned looks, as though the thought had never occurred to them before. Seriously, what was their problem?

A little plate and an ice-y drink was then gently placed on the table in front of Kagami, scaring the ever-loving crap out of him, but he was quickly calmed when he felt a familiar weight resting on both his shoulders.

“Kagami-kun’s pretty amazing, isn’t he?” Kuroko calmly noted, a little note of pride leaking into his tone as he shifted his palms to now rest against Kagami’s back.

Momoi hummed, closing her rather watery eyes and smiling brightly. “He is.”

Kise still looked amazed, stunned. Aomine just looked away, his previously permanent-seeming scowl was now gone, replaced with the look of a kicked puppy.

Oh, dammit. Now the bastard was making Kagami feel _bad for him..._

“They’re Thai style.” Kuroko clarified, drawing Kagami’s attention again as he indicated towards the plate he placed in front of Kagami, the one crowded with what looked to be massive steamed buns. “One’s chicken, one’s beef, and one’s pork. I didn’t know which you’d like so I just got all three.”

Kuroko managed to find the one meat-based dish in the little cafe for him? Oh yeah, Kagami loved him alright.

Momoi scooted over in the booth once more, taking Kuroko’s previously occupied seat and wordlessly offering him the one closest to Kagami. Kuroko took it with a grateful nod. 

“I didn’t know what you’d like to drink, so I just got you an iced matcha. Momoi-san recommended it earlier.” Kuroko furthered.

Kagami couldn’t say that he particularly liked the flavor before, but hell if it wasn’t his new favorite thing _now,_ simply because his bondmate was kind enough to get it for him. “Thanks.” was all he managed to croak out, before taking a sip of the drink.

“Kurokocchi’s a pretty good bondmate too.” Kise said with a smug little smile aimed Kagami’s way. Kagami couldn’t even get himself to care too much right now though as he just dug into the meal.

“He’s right though.” Kuroko continued, wrapping his hands around his previously forgotten drink. “I would like to work on our relationship again, if that’s something you’d all be interested in too?”

“Of course, Tetsu-kun!” Momoi practically squealed, all her seriousness gone as she clung to Kuroko’s arm and rested her head on his shoulder, apparently more than happy to continue the PDA now that Kagami had implicitly given his permission.

“I wanted to keep our bond since the beginning.” Kise started rather petulantly. “That’s why I tried to convince you to come to Kaijou with me.”

“You did _what?”_ Aomine practically barked.

“Sly Ki-chan…” Momoi trailed ominously, face frighteningly menacing looking.

Kise blanched but quickly continued to save himself, “B-But I think I am actually ready to, this time around! Really!”

“Me too.” Kuroko smiled softly at him, causing Kise to melt into his seat. Kuroko then drew his attention to the one person yet to speak up. “Aomine-kun?” he softly prompted, a creeping note of anxiety leaking into his tone, barely discernible.

Aomine sighed, before he seemed to slump too. When he next opened his eyes, they were as wide and lost as they were when he had tasted defeat for the first time. Though this time, there was something different about them. Something resigned, conceding. “I want that too, Tetsu. You know I do.” he seemed to mumble.

And like that, Kuroko and three of his former bondmates were on their way to mending their strained bond. After lunch, they had all gone to a streetball court once more, Kise demanding he also get to practice with Kuroko. Kuroko neglected to show him what he and Aomine had been working on all morning, under the principle that Kise didn’t get any sneak peaks to potential weapons that could be used against him in any coming games. 

So they all just played a casual game, Momoi even subbing in for Kuroko during one of them. She wasn’t exactly on their level, but she was pretty decent. No doubt she’d be one of the dominating players in the girls’ league, had she chosen to play herself. Kagami had no idea why she wasted her clear talent managing the boys. 

Though like Kuroko, she seemed to tire from their fast pace rather quickly and promptly shifted into her animal form when she had had enough, cawing _“Tetsu-kun, Tetsu-kun”_ in a parrot-y voice, which was utterly bizarre to hear. She flitted about him before Kuroko held out his arm, Momoi landing gently and shuffling over to his shoulder, nuzzling her feathery face into his cheek.

“Now who’s sly, Momoicchi!” Kise seemed to gasp before he was shifting himself, the golden fox bounding over to Kuroko quickly and reaching up onto his hind legs to paw at Kuroko’s waist, like an overexcited dog.

“Down, Kise-kun.” Kuroko ordered in a deadpan, as if he were indeed a dog and Kise hilariously obeyed. Kuroko rewarded him by kneeling down and providing him with an affectionate pat to his head. Which Kise promptly ruined by jumping up once again and licking Kuroko’s face, much to both his and Momoi’s annoyance.

A menacing growl then had everyone turning their heads as the sleek black panther slowly stalked his way to the group. He batted Kise away from Kuroko with a massive paw.

Kise let out an indignant yip, but instead allowed himself to be distracted by Momoi, as she landed on the fox’s back and chimed _”Ki-chan, Ki-chan”_ in a tone that sounded impressingly admonishing for a bird. Kise whined sheepishly.

Ignoring the scene he helped create, Aomine instead saddled himself behind Kuroko, using his claws to carefully grip onto the other’s shirt and cause the human to fall back into his side. Aomine then fell to the ground, resting on his side as Kuroko was forced to join him in his late afternoon nap, lazily basking in the rays of the setting sun.

Kuroko only looked amused, to his credit. “You could’ve just asked, Aomine-kun.” he chided, stroking a hand through the panther’s fur in a repetitive, soothing motion.

Aomine merely made a huffing sound, as if to say _‘too much trouble’._ Before too long, even his grousy chuffing turned into deep purrs from Kuroko’s skilled touch. It didn’t take long for Momoi and Kise to then join them, Momoi nuzzling against Kuroko’s head from where they both rested against Aomine large, sleek back and Kise happily settling himself in Kuroko’s lap, the human giving him as effective of a belly rub as Kagami’s seen him give Nigou, if Kise’s twitching leg was any indication.

Kagami was a little surprised at how genuinely un-jealous he was, watching the scene. How could he be, when Kuroko looked so genuinely happy? When he looked up at Kagami - covered in over-affectionate bondmates who he’s known longer and fought harder for - but still as if Kagami had handed him the sun itself. As if to say _‘thank you’._

Yeah, Kagami felt quite secure, thank you. He didn’t care what Alex or anyone else had to say. Kuroko’s heart wasn’t big because it needed room to care for as many people as it inevitably ended up caring for, but because he _could_ care so greatly, so deeply. Loved so selflessly. 

Kagami thinks he loves him too. Well, no, he’s pretty sure he knows now. Loving something is not wanting to live without it, right? Wanting to see them happy over anything else, sparing any of your own pride in order to give them that? He definitely felt that way about Kuroko.

Later, when he and Kuroko were walking back to Kagami’s for dinner, his slighter bondmate broke their shared silence with another startling admittance. 

“Thank you for today. It really means a lot to me that you understand my desire to mend my relationship with the others, despite how you feel towards them.” Kuroko said.

Kagami was quick to give his honest response, tone dismissive of whatever grand thing Kuroko thought he did by just being decent. “Of course I do. I trust you.”

Kuroko smiled. “I trust you too.” he said, bumping into Kagami’s side before looking away and adding on aloofly, “Mostly...”

Kagami looked to him, suspicious. “What are you on about...” he trailed, having no real idea of where this was going.

“I see how happy you are having Alex-san around again. You were bonded with her too, once, along with Himuro-san, weren’t you?” Kuroko asked, despite knowing the answer. He then fixed Kagami with a deep, soul-searing stare. “You can have that closeness with Himuro-san again, if you want it. Which I know you do.”

“Yeah.” Kagami didn’t bother to deny, looking down to the ground himself, kicking at a bottle cap in his path. “But Tatsuya doesn’t want that. He’s made it pretty clear that he just wants to be rid of me.”

Kuroko’s tone was light, as though he didn’t see an issue. “I don’t think that’s all there is to it.” he said, but was polite enough to mostly leave it alone. “Will you at least be open to the idea? Of working on your bond?” he clarified without prompting.

“I am.” Kagami said. “It’s Tatsuya’s who's probably opposed to it.”

“Who knows…” Kuroko trailed, sounding a lot like he did know, and disagreed with Kagami.

“Why are you so pushy about this anyway?” Kagami asked, knowing his partner meant well, but feeling like it was entirely unnecessary.

“I just want to try and help you. To help you be as happy as you’ve made me.” Kuroko said, tone embarrassingly serious and lacking all...embarrassment.

Kagami flushed, but insisted anyway, “I am happy.” nudging into Kuroko as if to prove his point. “Our bond means a lot to me, y-y’know?” he admitted.

Kuroko smiled. “I know. Kagami-kun means a lot to me too.”

“T-That’s not what I said!” Kagami stuttered back, but it was a lie anyway. 

Kuroko was right. It was how he felt. About Kuroko, about Tatsuya…

Especially after their following victory against Yosen, when Kuroko held out his hand and offered Kagami his ring back, the one he had told him to throw away mid-game, so he could focus on his future with Seirin. With Kuroko.

“It’s true that it’s not good to dwell on a painful past. But not if it means throwing away your future with that person too.” Kuroko said, looking angry, inspired on Kagami’s behalf. 

Kagami was utterly certain then, looking at Kuroko’s stony resolve, his partner getting angry on Kagami’s behalf. These warm feelings in his chest weren’t just born from a sense of kinship with a teammate, with a bondmate. It was love. 

He loved Kuroko Tetsuya.

...But a lot of people loved him too, so Kagami decided to continue to not be selfish and focus on one emotional epiphany at a time. He took the ring back from Kuroko, hugging him tightly and mustering up the nerve to give him a fleeting kiss to the forehead, his bondmate surprised but pleased at the gesture, relaxing into Kagami’s embrace as well.

And then after a hasty momentary goodbye, Kagami was off, on his way to make amends with Tatsuya. And maybe even ask for a bit of advice, if he could. 

What was one supposed to do when the person you liked also had an over-protective band of bondmates to claw through?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some notes to clarify things, if anything wasn’t clear;  
> \- I included Momoi in the Miracle gathering scene bc she’s part of the pack in this AU and it felt strange to me to leave her out (I have a loving-Momoi agenda too, in case it wasn’t obvious).  
> \- Sorry for the lack of an animal reveal for Akashi, I just think he’s a very careful kind of guy, rather selective with showing his form. He doesn’t really need it to intimidate people lol. Hope you still liked his tease in this installment regardless. I promise more content with him in the next part, as well as a proper animal form reveal.  
> \- I had Alex’s whole weird kissing bug be turned into the more acceptable, European practice of politely kissing somebody’s cheeks twice, which would make sense with her Spanish descent. Though less bold than a full-on spooch on the mouth, I would imagine it would still be rather shocking to the polite Japanese person (it's even surprising to most Americans)  
> \- Also sorry I didn’t include Midorima in the little Miracle reunion at the cafe. I do love him, I just don’t think he’s there yet, in terms of reconnecting with the others. I do have an idea of when, so don’t worry, I won’t disclude him when the time comes.  
> \- So talking in the cafe, ‘love’ is all up to interpretation. Romantic love? Platonic love? Who knows!  
> \- But Kagami has finally pieced together that he does indeed _love, love_ Kuroko
> 
> What do you think? Should Kisekikuro + Kagakuro both be endgame? Or should kisekikuro remain platonic and kagakuro be the only fully romantic one? I’m fully willing to take opinions on this, because I haven’t decided myself yet.

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: there are multiple pics of a creepy looking spider in this [Pinterest board,](https://www.pinterest.com/rosiejean621/animal-au-2/) if that’s something you’re sensitive to.
> 
> Himuro: grey wolf (since he’s Kagami’s contrast [kagami's name= fire, himuro's name= ice] I wanted him as a wild dog and the majestic grey wolf fits him best I think. Also fits with Yosen’s cold theme)  
> Murasakibara: polar bear (I knew I wanted him as some sort of bear and a polar bear is the largest type there is. Also fits that his school is in a colder region of Japan)
> 
> Hanamiya: Goliath birdeater tarantula (compared to a spider in the show) (I wanted something large, intimidating, + aggressive) (so I actually think the funnel-web spider is a better fit, but by the time I found out about it, I had already written the Kirisaki game + was too lazy to rewrite it (they spread venom in different ways))
> 
> Alex: lioness (purely an aesthetic reason tbh, I just thought it fit her)


End file.
